Tail-lamp.



UNITED srrnfrns earn onirica,

CARI. M. BULLOCK AN D JOHN T. WICKERSHAM, OIE*- BARDSTOWN JUNCTION, KENTUCKY.

TAIL-LAMP.

at the rear of the vehicle, and which is so constructed that it will furnish a white light to the rear or" the vehicle, to light the way when backing the machine at night on a strange road, into and out of garages, and in turning, etc., and will also act to throw a light on the license tag or plate.

A further object is to so construct the lamp that the electric bulbs or other sources of light rays may be independently or simultaneously lighted and the desired showing of light at the rear of the vehicle will occur, and to soA arrange the parts that access may be had readily to all parts of the lamp, and the lamp structure as an entirety may be fitted to be held and mounted on a lamp bracket of usual form.

1V ith the above and other objects in view, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of' a lamp constructed after our invention. Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the lamp. Fig. Bis a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The lamp casing comprises a dished-out or bowl-shaped member 1 and the rim member Q, these two members being` connected together' by a hinge 3, .so that the rim member Q may be swung` to a. relation to form substantially a continuation of the bowl member l. A stem t is riveted or otherwise secured to the bowl memberl and is so shaped that it may be received in a mounting bracket 5, or may be fitted in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten sept. i2, wie.

.Application lfiled. Apr120, 1916, Serial No. 92,497.

some other desired relation to properly support the lamp case. lVhere the mounting bracket 5 is used, it will be secured upon the frame, body, or some-other portion of the rear of the vehicle and the stem 4c will be received through a suitable socket provided therein, the-set screw 6 being fitted in this mounting bracket to be adjusted against the stem 4 to hold the lamp case adjusted to the proper disposition.

A reflector 7 is mounted in the bowl portion `1 of the case, and a reflector 8 is mounted in the rim portion Q, the reflector 8 being left open at its center so that the reflector? will be visible through the forward open end of the rim 2.v A lamp socket 9 is provided in the bowl portion 1 of the case, centrally located with respect to the reflector 7,

and an electricelamp bulbv l0 is mounted in this socket. Sockets 11 and 12 are provided to be carried by the rim portion 2 in such relation that the electric lamp bulbs 13 and 14 screwed or otherwise mounted therein are'disposed adjacent the face of the that as the rays from the lamp y10 are concentrated by the reficctor' 7 and are cast forwardly, these rays will pass through the lens 15 and will be visible through the open outer endof the rim 2. ed in a suitable ring 17 which is hinged at 18 at one side on the rim 2 and this ring 17 maybe closed over the open end of the rim 2 in such relation that the lens 16 forms a cover for the lamp casing and at the same time the light cast by the lamp 10 through the lens 15 will be visible` or when the lamps 13 and 14 are lighted, the rays therefrom will be reflected through this lens 16 and a white light will bethrown in the rear of the vehicle.

To retain the rim 2 closed to the proper relation to the bowl 1 to form the main body A lens 16 is mountof the casing, a slotted plate 18 is mounted on the rim 2 at a point preferably approximately diametrically opposite to the hinged mounting of this rim so that as the rim is to said open relation. plate 2O is formed on the free edge of the lring 17, and itis pro vided with a slot to receive the shank of a keeper 21 which is carried on the rim 2, this arrangement of the parts permitting the ring 17 to be secured in the closed relation. A slotted opening is formed at 22, through the side of the bowl 1, and the reflector T is purposely cut away as at 23 so that the rays of light projected from the lamp 10 will be cast through this slotted opening at 22, a lens or glass 2i being provided to cover' this opening and permit passing of the light rays.

In the use of the tail lamp, it is preferable that the case be mounted adjacent to the mounting of a license tag or plate, and for' that matter', a special mounting bracket might be designed to hold the license nurnber tag or plate and to receive the stem of the lamp, and light will be cast through the lens 24: to shine upon thenumber plate to illumine the same to comply with the regulations and requirements now widely in force. In Fig. 2, we have illustrated by the dotted lines as shown :rt-{Zathe approximate positioning of a license number tag or plate.

From the for-going it will be seen that we have provided a tailflamp which may be used for automobiles or other vehicles, and which is so constructed that during the major portion of the time the lamp is in use, it may be used only to show a red light to the rear of the vehicle and to illuminate the license number' tag or plate, but when it is desired to back the vehicle or' for any reason to see the road in the-rear of the vehicle, the lamps 13 and 14 may be lighted and a white light will be cast through the lens 16 and will light up the view in the rear of the vehicle. v

lVhile we have shown and described the use ot two lamps to project the white light through the. lens 16, it will be-understood that agreater number' ot lamps may be used, or that even a single lamp arranged to cast its rays upon the reflector and to thus have the light projected through the lens ma)i be used, and also it will be apparent that various other modifications and changes might be made in the form and arrangement ot' the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention,

and hence we do not wish to be limited to the exact disclosure7 but only to such points as may be set forth in the claims.

.ille claim:-

1. A tail lamp comprising a casing, a rim like reflector mounted in the forward part of the casing to have the center' thereof opens 'a' reflector'mounted in the casing back ot' the opening ot' the rim like reflector, a transparent covering for the forward side of the casing, a colored screen mounted in the opening ot' the rim like reflector, a lamp mounted in the second mentioned reflector', and lamps mounted in conjunction with the rim like reflector to be out of the path of penetration of rays passing from the lirst mentioned lamp.

2. A tail lamp comprising a casing having sisting ol' a bowl and a rim, a lamp mounted v in the bowl, a reflector around said lamp, a reflector mounted in the r'im and provided with an open center' to permit the rays from the lamp in the bowl to be visible, a lens mounted to be penetrated by the of light from the lamp, a lamp mounted in Conjunction with the rim to have the rays there of projected by said reflector, and a lens mounted to close the casing.

l. A tail lamp comprising a casing con sisting of a bowl and a rim, a lamp mounted in thev bowl, a reflector around said lamp, a reflector mounted in the rim and provided with an opencenter to permit the rays from the lamp in the bowl to be visible, a lens mounted to be penetrated b v the rays of light from the lamp, a lamp mounted in conjunction with the rim to have the rays thereol projected by said reflector', a lens mounted to close the casing, said bowl provided with an opening in the side thereof through which the rays from the lamp mounted thereinare cast, and means to mount said casing in such a relation that the rays ol' light cast through the opening will fall upon a license tag or plate.

A tail lamp comprising a casing consisting of a bowl and a, rim., a lamp mounted in the bowl, a reflector around said lamp, a reflector' mounted in the rim and provided with an open center to permit the rays from the lamp in the bowl to be visible, a lens mounted to be penetrated lby the rays of light from the lamp, alamp mounted in conjunction With the rim to have the rays In testimony whereof vWe aix our signa; thereof projected by said reflector, a lens, tures in presence of two Witnesses.

mounted to close the easing, hinged connec- CARL M.v BULLOCK, tions between the rim and bowl, and be- JOHN T. WICKERSHAM. tween the outer lens and the rim, and means `Witnessesz to secure said members in a relation to J. B. ARNOLD,

5 close thecasing. C. G. VVICKERSHAM. 

